[024]
Our Bodies, Online
Individual
social
What are the qualifications of being a feminist artist today? This is an impossible question, which is, in many ways, the point. One of the defining doctrines of third-wave feminism (or fourth-wave feminism, or postfeminism, or whatever you call our current moment) is its persistent unwillingness to be defined. Whether you make abstract photograms or stag films, label your work feminist, and it is.
“An emerging guard of young, female photographers has carved out a new brand of feminism
with a new set of definitions.”
04.04.25
[076]
Coded Gestures
Collaboration
speculative
Coded Gestures, Sanne van den Elzen
In form of a short research paper, Maughan explores the evolution and potential of hand gestures in human-computer interaction, particularly in the context of emerging spatial computing technologies. The paper reflects on the historical significance of hand representations, such as ancient cave paintings, and examines how our hands have co-evolved with tool use over millennia. It critiques the current design of hand gestures in technology, like Apple's double tap, as mere extensions of existing interactions, and advocates for reimagining hand-based interactions to fully harness the capabilities of spatial computing.
Maughan lays out how gestures serve as both a bridge and a blueprint for future embodied technologies, shaping how we interact beyond screens and devices. As spatial computing evolves, gestures could inspire more fluid, intuitive interfaces that dissolve the boundaries between digital and physical spaces. Their design must embrace cultural diversity, ergonomic fluidity, and emotional expressivity to create meaningful, adaptive interactions. By moving beyond prescriptive, pre-defined gestures, future formats of embodied technology can foster a more symbiotic relationship between humans and machines—one where interaction feels as instinctive as movement itself.
“Annie Murphy Paul notes how gestures help us pin down vague thoughts, offering a “proprioceptive hook” that distributes cognitive load and assists memory. Gestures accompany everyday speech. They replace it when we lack a shared language, or when speech becomes
inaudible or dangerous.”
04.04.25
[078]
Swiping Dichotomies: Losing Self-determination to a Digital Gesture — and How to Gain It Back
Individual
critical
Swiping Dichotomies website by Akseli Manner
In "Swiping Dichotomies," Akseli Manner critically examines the swiping gesture in digital interactions, particularly in dating apps. It explores the origins of swiping, its tactile and psychological effects, and its role in shaping user autonomy. The thesis questions how algorithmic design influences decision-making, reducing complex human interactions to binary choices. By analyzing swiping's cultural and technological significance, Manner highlights the tension between agency and automation in digital interfaces. The work ultimately seeks to reclaim more intentional, nuanced interactions in a world increasingly driven by frictionless, habitual gestures dictated by platform logic and commercial interests.
By examining the origins, cultural significance and tactile nature of swiping, this thesis establishes swiping as both a technological object and a cultural phenomenon. In exploring whether such gestures enhance or diminish autonomy in digital spaces, its analysis aligns with the ideas set out in Coded Gestures[076], as both texts critically examine how embodied technologies can either empower users or subtly dictate behaviour, urging a more intentional approach to gesture-driven design.
04.04.25